Conveyer



March 8, 1927.

E. M. MCVICKER CONVEYER Filed July 29. 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 March 8, 1927.' 1,620,268' E. M. MCVCKER n CONVEYER Filed July 29. 1921. I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .iE-dwf 3 INVENT Patented Mar. 8, 1927'.

EMERY M. MCVICKER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

ooNvEYER.

Application led .T'uly 29, 1921.

This invention relates to conveyers, and more particularly, to endlessI conveyers' for handling loose materials, such as cement-and concrete mixtures and the like.

The general aim of the present invention is the provision of a novel type of conveyer for receiving, transferring and delivering the materials to various points, desired', Within the operating ran-ge of the conveying medium.. y

A more specific object of the invention is the provision in a conveyer of an improved form ofy conveying medium which, under the control of the operator, may be caused to discharge its load at any of several points along its line of travel.

Another object is the `provision of an endless conveying medium, so constructed and arranged that the lower o r return Vrun thereofy will not interfere with the free passage therethrough of the materials discharged from the upper or delivery run.

Another object is the provision of an improved support for an endless conveyer con'- structed and arranged to permit an. adjustment of the conveyer over an extended area and thus increase its operating range.

lOther objects and advantages will later ap Y ear. y y

ne embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of an endless conveyer embodying the features of the present invention. y

Figure 2 is a detail illustrating a portion of the conveying medium on a scale somewhat larger than that of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line of Figure 1.

Figure 4i is a detail of a certain control mechanism.

The conveyer selected for illustration is shown applied to a mixingr machine of standard construction, having' the usual mixing drum and discharge chute diagrammatically illustrated at 10 and 11, respec tively. The conveyer includes an elongated conveyer frame I2 of any appropriate construction, hingedly mounted at one end upon a horizontal shaft 13 and adjust'ab'ly supported in the desired position of inclination by any suitable means, such as the adjustable suspension rods 14. The shaft 13 is mounted for rotation in appropriate bearings carried by uprightl frame 15 to which the suspension rods lll are connected.

The frame 15 is preferably mounted for swinging movement about a vertical axis, so that the conveyer' fra-nie l2 may be swungl to any desired position over a comparatively wide area. This might be accomplished in various ways, but in the present instance the frame 15 is provided with a pintle 16 journaled in a vertical bearing 17 carried by an upright frame 18 fixed to' or forming apart of the mixing machine. A second vertical bearing 19' is' carried by the frame f8. A rotatable shaft 20 extends through this bear'- i'ng and through a pair of spaced lbearings 2l and 22 carried by the fra'me l5'. The arrangement is such that the pintle 16 and shaft 2O are in vertical alignment so that the frame 15 is free to swing about the vertical axis defined thereby.

The shaft 20 also constitutes a meansk for transmitting the required power to' the conveyer drive mechanism'. This shaft is' driven from any convenient power source, through any appropriate gearing, such as shaft and bevel gears 24 and 25, and its connectedv in driving relation with the shaft I3, hereinabove mentioned, by any appropriate means, such as the bevel gears 26 and 27, counter shaft 28, sprocket wheels 29 and 30, and chain 31. v

lhe conveying medium is' carried preferably by a pair of endless chains 3Q. Each chain passes around a sprocket wheel 33,

mounted in the usual manner upon a shaft 34 at the outer end of the conveyer frame 112 and around a sprocket wheel keyed or otherwise `lined to the rotatable shaft i8 hereinabovereferred to. To avoid sagging, the chains may be supported by any appropriate means, such as the small sprocket wheels 36 journaled upon the frame l2 and enga-.gingy beneath the upper run of the chains and the rollers 37 j'ournaled upon the frame i2 and engaging beneath the lower run of the chains. The arrangement is such that during rotation of the shafts 20 and 13, the sprocket wheels are rotated in a clockwise direction (Fig. l)V and the upper runof the chains are caused to travel in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2). i

The conveying medium is so constructed and controlled that the materials received from the chute l1 are advanced longitudinally of the conveyor frame Vand may be discharged at any point desired along the length thereof. This may be accomplished in various ways, but in the conveyer illustrated, in which the delivery run of the conveyer is above the return run, it is essential, or at least highly d-esirable, that the return run will not interfere with the free passage therethrough of the materials discharged from the delivery run. To this end, the conveying medium comprises a plurality of sections 38 which, when in material sustaining position, are arranged end to end so as to form in effect a substantially continuous belt like structure. These sections may assume various forms, but in the present instance each is formed with a substantially flat bottom portion 39 and upturned sides 40. Each section is pivotally connected, preferably adjacent its forward edge, to the chains 32 by any suitable means, such as a rod 41 connecting the chains. Thus, during the return run, these sections are suspended from their supporting rods 41 in the position substantially as shown in Figure 1. In this position, the bottom and sides of each section are in a substantially upright position, so that the materials discharged from the upper run are free to fall therebetween.

Various means may be provided for releasably retaining these sections inmaterial sustaining position along the delivery run of the conveyer. In the conveyer shown, this is accomplished by the use of a series of latches 42 mounted upon each chain 32. A pair of such latches, one on each chain, is employed for rel-easably supporting the rear edge or portion of each section. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each latch provided with an inwardly projecting lug 43 engageable beneath the bottom 39 of a section 38 adjacent the rear edge thereof, and each latch is slidably mounted upon its supporting chain by means of a pin and slot connection 44. In this instance, the supporting rod 41 of an adjacent section 38 is employed as the latch supporting means. These latches are preferably connected in groups so that the corresponding groups of the sections 38 supported thereby may be released to discharge their load. In the present instance, these latches are connected in groups of three by the links 45. The latches of each group are normally retained in forward section supporting position by any appropriate means, such as a spring 46 connected at one end to one of the links and at the other end to one of the rods 41. To shift these latches rearwardly to release the corresponding sections, one of these latches of each group is connect-ed by means of a link 45 with a lever 47. Lever 47 is pivotally mounted as at 48, upon one of the rods 41 and normally assumes an upright position und-er the influence of the spring 46. When rocked in an anti-clockwise direction (Fig.

2), however, this lever shifts the latches 42 rearwardly, so that the lugs 43 thereof are shifted from beneath their corresponding sections 38, thus permitting these sections to drop to dumping position.

. This rocking or tilting of these levers 47 may be effected in various ways. In the conveyer shown, this is accomplished by the use of suitable trip arms 49` mounted at various points along the conveyer frame. These arms are mounted in pairs in such position that they may be projected into the path of the levers 47 as they are carried along by the endless chains 32. Each pair of arms 49 is fixed to a rock shaft 5() mounted in suitable brackets 51 secured to the conveyer frame 12. A crank arm 52 controls the position of each rock shaft. Each crank arm .52 is connected through a link 53 with conveniently placed mechanism under the control of the op-erator. A. mechanism for this urpose is illustrated in aplan in Figure 4. his mechanism includes a bell-crank lever 54 pivotally mounted upon a sleeve portion 55 connected with or forming a part of the bearings 21 and 22 hereinabove referred to. One arm of this lever is connected with a link 53, while the other is connected by means of a link 5G with a hand lever 57. Lever 57 is pivotally mounted, as at 58, upon the frame 15. A sin'iilar system of levers is provided for controlling the other link 53 and rock shaft 50.

Thus, it will be seen that the sections 38 along the upper or delivery run of the conveyer are normally retained in material sustaining position by the rods 41 and the latches l42. As long as the trip arms 49 are in upper position above the path of travel of the levers47, these levers are not disturbed from their normal upright positions and this condition of the sections 38 will prevail until the sections reach the outer end of the conveyer frame. As they pass around the outer sprocket wheels 33, each section will in turn tilt and swing outwardly about its supporting rod, in a clockwise direction, and' thus automatically assume the position shown in the return run of Figure 1. To effect a discharge of the material at a point within the line of travel of the upper or delivery run, it is only necessary to lower one of the pairs of trip arms 49 to tripping position by manipulating the corresponding hand lever 57. lVhen this is done, the levers 47 of each pair as they approach the trip arms 49, are engaged thereby and are tilted so as to shift the corresponding group of latches rearwardly with respectto the sections 38 supported thereby. These sections are thus released and swing downwardly in an anticlockwise direction about their rods 41 to discharge their load.l To effect a discharge of the material at a different point, it is only necessary to set the other pair of trip arms 49 into tripping position.

After the levers 47 have passed the tripping position, they are automatically returned to their normal upright position under the influence of their springs 46. The latches 42 are thus returned to their normal position for supporting their corresponding conveyor' sections 38 in material sustaining position. This position is automatically assumed by each section as it passes around the sprocket Wheels 35.

Thus it Will be seen that a conveyer has been provided which is Well adapted for receiving materials froml the chute 11 and delivering and discharging these materials at any of several points Within the operating range of the conveyer.

Furthermore, in the conveyer shown, the conveyer frame is free to swing about a vertical pivot so as to effect a delivery of the materials over an extended area.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove described7 Without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. In an endless conveyer, the combination of an endless chain, means for driving said chain, a plurality of material sustaining sections pivotally connected with said chain, and latches carried by said chain for releasably supporting said sections in material sustaining position.

2. In an endless conveyer the combination of an endless chain, means for driving said chain, a plurality of material sustaining sections pivotally connected With said chain, latches carried by said chain for releasably supporting said sections in material sustaining position, and means for cooperation with said latches to cause said sections'to discharge their load.

3. In an endless conveyer having delivery and return runs, the combination of an endless chain, va plurality of material sustaining sections, means carried by said chain for releasably supporting said sections in material supporting position during the delivery run, and means cooperating With said last named means to cause said sections to assume discharge positions at a predetermined point in said delivery run.

4. In an endless conveyer having superimposed horizontal delivery and return runs, the combination of an endless chain, a plurality of material sustaining sections, means carried by said chain for releasably supporting said sections in substantially horizontal material sustaining position during the delivery run and in substantially vertical discharge position during the return run,and means cooperating With saidl last named means for eiiecting the discharge of said sections at a predetermined point in said delivery run.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of July, 1921.

EMERY M. MCVICKER. 

